Joe's Book Cafe 2016 Door 12

Art by Ayano Imai

Welcome back to the cafe!

2016 Books

January

1. Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson
2. Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
3. Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich
4. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
5. Cold Mountain by Han Shan (re-read)
6. Bryant & May and the Burning Man by Christopher Fowler
7. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
8. Valis by Philip K. Dick
9. Neon Vernacular by Yusef Komunyaka

February

10. Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami
11. The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
12. Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
13. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
14. Martian Time-Slip by Philip K. Dick
15. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
16. Natural Birth by Toi Derricotte
17. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
18. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen
19. Heap House by Edward Carey

March

20. Evicted by Matthew Desmond
21. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
22. Voyage of the Sable Venus by Robin Coste Lewis
23. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
24. Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie
25. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones
26. Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs
27. Divine Invasion by Philip K. Dick
28. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
29. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
30. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
31. Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
32. Venetia by Georgette Heyer
33. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
34. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

April

35. Off the Grid by C.J. Box
36. Lighthead by Terrence Hayes
37. At The Threshold of Memory by Marjorie Agosin
38. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
39. Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
40. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
41. Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith
42. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Inga Moore (re-read)
43. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer by Philip K. Dick
44. In a Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan
45. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
46. The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan
47. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer
48. The Bangkok Asset by John Burdett
49. The Swallows by Adriana Ramirez
50. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
51. The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell
52. The Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

May

53. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
54. Shaman Pass by Stan Jones
55. Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
56. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
57. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
58. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
59. Without: Poems by Donald Hall
60. Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig
61. A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler
62. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
63. Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
64. Zero World by Jason M. Hough
65. The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich
66. The Highwayman by Craig Johnson
67. Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson

June

Graphic Novels

1. The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker
2. Concrete Park by Tony Puryear
3. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua
4. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
5. Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine
6. Sleeper by Ed Brubaker
7. Where is Jake Ellis by Nathan Edmondson
8. Lucifer by Mike Carey
9. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Omnibus by Philip K. Dick
10. Super Mutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki
11. The Fade Out Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
12. Low Moon by Jason
13. The Fade Out Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
14. Fatale by Ed Brubaker
15. Demo by Brian Wood
16. Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna
17. Step Aside, Pops by Kate Beaton
18. The Property by Rutu Modan
19. Descender by Jeff Lemire
20. Ms. Marvel Vol. 4 by G. Willow Wilson
21. The Sleeper Omnibus by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
22. Lucifer Volume 2 by Mike Carey
23. Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan
24. The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks
25. Ruins by Peter Kuper
26. Harrow County by Cullen Bunn
27. The Story of Mu by James Cordova
28. Torpedo Volume 1 by Enrique Sanchez Abuli
29. Lucifer Book Three by Mike Carey
30. Pocket Full of Rain by Jason
31. Batgirl by Gail Simone
32. Descender Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

OK, here's the cynical Joe poem from the last thread (two others we'll leave in the old cafe for now).

Beast

I

We whack
Crack the hanging
Jack till all them jewels
Spill out.

II

If some rough beast slouches,
A pinpoint of blary color
On the bright blue white-clouded ball
Floating in the star-speckled black
If some rowdy miscreant creates minor havoc,
What's one more satellite picture
Of interest to so few.
Bethlehem is a little town in a small country.
The beast hides
In a rocky desert cul-de-sac, hemmed in, alone.

III

God declines to supply the hero
A modest handyman with well-made words.
Bhagwan Shree Provocateur gets lost in sex and riches.
A thousand points of light, flashlights
Fading, blinking out, then
Darkness. No monster can scare us, represent us,
Lead us astray, no wise man
Shepherd us to the promised land.

No upswell of chanting, no soaring chorus,
No one hand clapping no other.
Each man/woman is an island, unbeholden
To the rest, joinder is mere sentiment
Lost upon the waters.

Diverted to a cul-de-sac
It howls unheard.

IV

Crack smack that Chihuly, Jack,
Whack it till them
Jewels spill out.
Grab, grab as fast as you can.
There's nothing to wait for
This is bluster's last stand.

Joe's Top Reads for 2015

Book of the Year: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Fiction

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Non-fiction

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Graphic Novels

Sandman Overture by Neil Gaiman

Mystery

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Ancillary series by Ann Leckie

Top 5 First Quarter of 2016

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami (finally available in the U.S.)
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Top graphic novels so far in '16:

Super Mutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki
The Sleeper Omnibus by Ed Brubaker
The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks

Happy new thread, Joe! Such great whimsical toppers - the bear with the birdhouse hat is my favorite. And of course, we are huge fans of Calvin and Hobbes here at the Pecan Paradisio!

Good morning, Joe. Awesome new thread. There is that 'whimsical' art again. Great headers. I agree with Mamie about the bear with the bird hat, but the fox hanging by a root is pretty cool too.

Looking back for moment...

>132 msf59: I really enjoyed your review of Lady Susan. I don't know how I missed it. I may have to add it to my wish list. I love snark!

>6 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie!

Ha! Oh, it's the little things in life, isn't it, Mamie? We loves us some C & H at Casa Welch, too.

Glad you like the Imai toppers. The first one is my favorite, too, although I like that whimsy of hers in all of them.

>7 brodiew2: Hiya, Brodie. Thanks!

I like that root-hanging fox, too. Plus the surreality of where he is. I'm a sucker for whimsical art. You'll probably see more of it here.

Yes, give Lady Susan a try! If you like snark, she serves it up in big portions. I love this side of Austen.

Strolling by, thought I'd stop for a sticky bun and a cuppa.

Did you like Dancing at the Rascal Fair? English Creek was my Doig o' the month, and by chance I just acquired a copy of the sequel. I read that O'Nan several years ago, and in the past few months, I've acquired three more: Songs for the Missing, The Good Wife, and Emily, Alone. Any of them good?

>10 weird_O: Hiya, Bill. Man, you've got a good pace going there.

I did like Dancing at the Rascal Fair. Well-written, with good characters, set during at interesting time in Montana as it was first being settled by immigrants. I'm not sure why, but I'm nonetheless not as taken with Doig as some others have been. I don't feel a need to rush out and read another of his. But I've been seeing good things said about This House of Sky, including from brother Mark, so I'll probably give that one a go at some point.

I'm clueless about Stewart O'Nan; Last Night at the Lobster was my first and only so far. I want to read more of his, so I'm hoping O'Nanians like Katie and Mamie will answer your question about those three.

Happy New Thread, Joe! Love the toppers.

I have still not read that O'Nan. Better get crackin'...

Happy new thread! As a fellow Calvin and Hobbes fan, I salute you. I finished Career of Evil recently and LOVED it. Best one out of the three I'd say.

love the new digs except they're missing two poems. i shall have to download them as, when you post your next one, your thread toppings would topple if you included 'em all.

delighted by fox above. fits nicely w/ Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?, one of my current books. de Waal spends some time on animal problem-solving.

eta: i have started Haruf but i'm reading a vasty great number of books at once so it'll be pleasantly slow going. i do miss speed reading. and i know my good fortune in having audiobooks.

>12 msf59: Thanks, Mark!

Glad you're enjoying the toppers.

You'll like O'Nan. I need to figure out my next one. What a treasure LT is. So many authors I wouldn't have tried but for all our LT book recommenders . . .

>13 Thebookdiva: Thanks, Abby!

Did you say Calvin and Hobbes salute?



Oh, I'm glad you LOVED Career of Evil! Agreed, best so far. Now we need the next one so we can find out what happened right after the ending!

>14 mirrordrum: Hi, Ellie.

I know, I think we'd get overweighted and topple if I kept re-posting all the poems. I didn't have time to rummage through the papers for another one during our busy last weekend, but I will this weekend. I appreciate the interest!

That fox really grabbed me, too. I want Imai to design a house, with animals, that I can live in.

I like the idea of animal problem-solving. Please report back on Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are, if you can. In the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, there's a suggestion our ancestors made a mistake coming down out of the trees, and then a suggestion that their ancestors made a mistake coming out of the sea. And those dolphins, well, I never. At least they were grateful for all the fish.

I think you'll find that plain, direct language of Haruf makes for excellent audio reading. We saw a play adaptation of Plainsong a couple of years ago and loved it.

Love the C & H. Happy new thread Joe.

>17 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte.

Age cannot wither C & H, nor custom stale. Our love for that little boy and his tiger, and his poor parents and teachers, is eternal. :-)

Happy new one, Joe!

One of my favorite Calvin & Hobbes:

>19 scaifea: Ha! Thanks, Amber. Classic.

This is a favourite. I don't know when Watterson and my dad met, but...

Hi again, Joe! I am enjoying The Summer Before the War. I like her writing and her easy pace.

On the GN front, I enjoyed Hey Wait.... Jason is a unique artist, with a definite quirky slant, with just enough "edge" too. I have Paper Girls, home from the library and should get to it soon.

On the poetry front, (yes, this train keeps going) I picked up Words Under the Words. Have you read Nye?

>5 jnwelch: Since we appear to have a small parade of C&H favorites, I'll throw my hat in the ring.



I get a kick out this one every time.

>1 jnwelch: Ah, the whimsy! Love, love, love.

And Calvin and Hobbes....*sigh* Those were the days, my friends.

>10 weird_O: - Bill, I just read Songs for the Missing this month and liked it very much. I have not yet read the other two; Emily Alone is a sequel of sorts to Wish You Were Here (which I have also not read yet) - I think it can stand on its own, though...

Hi Joe! Happy new thread :)

How I love the Ayano Imai illustrations! I've just gone ahead and reserved nearly half a dozen books illustrated by her from the library. I too am currently reading Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are. Too early yet to form a proper opinion, but the premise is definitely attractive to me!

Happy New Thread, Joe. xx

Morning, Joe!

We made the serious mistake of introducing our son to Calvin and Hobbes when he was in 3rd grade. Didn't get a normal picture of him again until high school...

Morning, Joe!

>28 drneutron: LOL!

Good morning!

It may take a while to get back to you. Relief-filled dr.'s appointment for me, with biopsies coming back benign. But my dad may just have had a stroke and is in emergency. Fingers crossed.

Another delightful branch of the cafe. I love it.

To choose a favorite Calvin & Hobbes strip is like, well, like choosing a favorite book. Nigh impossible. But one of my most quoted ones is:

>30 jnwelch: We are hoping and praying for the best, Joe. Please keep us posted.

I am also praying that all is ok with your dad, Joe. Prayiying for a speedy recovery.

Thanks, Mark and Brodie and everyone. He laughed, always a good sign, and seems to be doing better. They gave him that stroke intervention medicine (t-Pa), so I'm optimistic.

I can't focus very well right now, so I'll circle back.

big sigh of relief on the biopsies and it is a good sign that your Dad can smile. minute at a time, my dear, minute at a time. know you are loved.

Holding you, your family, and especially your Dad in my heart. May the best possible outcome be real now!

>35 mirrordrum: ditto--can't say it any better than that.

Wishing for the best, Joe. Take good care. xx

Oh crap, I just saw the post in >30 jnwelch:. I'm definitely holding you and your dad in my thoughts, Joe. It is a very scary circumstance. xo

Good news on the biopsy, Joe. Hope your dad is okay. Happy New Thread!

Struggling manfully with my failing keyboard so i have borrowed Belle's Apple for a short while and I especially wanted to drop by and offer my best wishes for your father at this time Buddy. Will be thinking about you and hoping for positive news.

Happy new thread goes without saying but is slightly incidental today.

Good news about your health. I hope the news about your Dad is good as well, Joe.

I'm keeping you and your dad in my thoughts, Joe.

Thanks, everyone. He's "laughing and joking", according to his caregiver, always a good sign. Looks like an emergency trip won't be necessary. He scared the crap out of her, and us, but has bounced back. As our daughter says, he's amazingly resilient. Very tired, but back on track.

Let's catch up! I can see there's a lot of Calvin and Hobbes going on. Gotta like that!

>21 charl08: Ha! Love that one, Charlotte. I used to tell our kids some whoppers, but they always caught me. Calvin's dad is skilled at keeping it going.

Apparently I did tell our young son once that I was "the center of the universe" (typical humble point of view). He said he spent a long time trying to figure out how exactly that worked.

>22 msf59: Glad you're enjoying The Summer Before the War, Mark. She can really write, can't she.

I have read Naomi Shihab Nye, but not that one. I read 19 Varieties of Gazelle, and liked it a lot.

Pocket Full of Rain was quirky and entertaining - lots of short pieces. I didn't realize he could draw so well in the traditional way, and there are a few of those. I'll try his Hey Wait next.

>23 brodiew2: Ha! Good pick, Brodie. Poor doctor - he seems like a nice guy, too. We occasionally have come across arrogant doctors who I would've loved to turn Calvin loose on.

>24 laytonwoman3rd: Yay - glad you love the whimsical Imais, Linda.

Calvin and Hobbes was so epic. Amazing how the humor stays so current and timeless. I keep hoping he and Gary Larson (Far Side) are doing occasional pieces that they're storing up and we'll see some day. Maybe when the unicorns finally come out of hiding.

>25 katiekrug: Katie, I think we need you to immediately read all the O'Nan books, so you can be our trail guide. There are donuts and pie in it for you if you're willing.

>26 Smiler69: Oh good, Ilana! It always warms my heart when an artist with your talent likes one of the cafe artists. She's got an amazing feel, doesn't she? Even that last simple one with the mouse having coffee - how does she know to lay it out like that, and then make us feel like we could be that mouse sitting there, starting the day?

I'll keep an ear out for more warbling about How Smart Animals Are. Not my usual fare, but that can be a good thing.

>27 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Clever of me to wait until Saturday morning to respond, don't you think? Hope your weekend is off to a good start.

>28 drneutron: Ha! I can imagine the faces your son made after being tutored by Calvin, Jim.

Now that you mention it, our son was a big Calvin and Hobbes fan. In retrospect, that explains so much . . .

>29 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Thank you for waiting a while to get a response. Let's get some sustenance to you.



>31 EBT1002: Love that one, Ellen! How many times have I said, "Is this some sort of trick question or what?" I think the coffee table looks pretty great with the nails, actually.

>32 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I thought we were in big trouble (he just stopped and became dazed and totally unresponsive), but that early intervention medication (t-Pa) really worked. He seems to be okay now, just very worn out.

>33 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie. I appreciate it. He's 93, so we know some day the trail is going to end, but once again he has bounced back.

>35 mirrordrum: Thanks so much, Ellie - and thank you for the Snoopy hug over on Facebook.

Yeah, that was one dramatic day. As you can imagine, I was a bit anxious about the biopsies, and had the lovely Madame MBH with me. Plus she's much better at asking doctors questions than I am. As we're waiting for the doctor to come into the room, I get the text that my dad apparently has had a severe stroke. Great.

His caregiver was understandably scared, but handled it beautifully. Once they got that t-Pa in him, it all turned around.

>36 maggie1944: Thanks so much, Karen. Your heart certainly helped - this is about the best possible outcome. So far no after-effects like slurred speech or anything else. Just a tired guy, which rest will take care of. Woo.

first of all, glad the load has lightened.

>49 jnwelch: ohhhhh and in CB mugs too. who could drink that?

hope you have a good weekend after all, Joe.

eta >51 jnwelch: gulp and it is always good to have a significant other with one in these kinds of medical situations. nobody can think clearly when they're concerned. so, good for you, but oh, what a thing.

>37 kac522: Thanks, Kathy. I ditto Ellie all the time; she's got a lovely way with words, doesn't she. Thank you for the support. One of those big drama moments in life, but it turned out fine, thank goodness.

>38 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. I appreciate it, my friend.

>39 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen. It was scary, you're right. He's got an amazing ability to come back from tough developments - we've thought we were entering the end game more than once, and then he bounces back. He loves his life. Last time we talked he said, "I wish this could go on forever".

Glad to read your dad is doing so well. That sounds like a very worrying experience, but amazing what those drugs can do when given quickly as you say.

I love the Charlie Brown coffee. I think the mostfancy I've had was a leaf. Nice, but not quite Peanuts.

>40 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! My dad is okay, and we're able to enjoy the holiday weekend rather than making an emergency trip in tough circumstances. Woo, lots of gratitude. One of my sisters will soon be with him on a planned visit.

Hope your weekend is off to a good start.

>41 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I know you're going through something similar with your mom.

All positive news with my dad. He has really benefited from the developments in medical knowledge. This t-Pa medication worked a miracle in turning him around. Now he just needs to get his strength back.

>42 Familyhistorian: It is all good news now, Meg, thanks. Yeah, that was quite a relief on the biopsies, although they had told me they hadn't found anything worrisome, there was still that possibility the biopsies would come back with bad news. My dad is doing way better, and getting some good rest. I expect we'll have him back home in a couple of days, but we'll see.

I was a smoker a long, long time ago, and that worried me some. The stupidity of youth.

>43 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. I'm glad I can report all good news.

>52 mirrordrum: Thanks, Ellie. Well put. The load has lightened. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck yesterday. Pitiful effort at work. Today is much better. We just got visited by some young neighbors and their four month old boy Luke, who is really starting to engage with the world. We plan to porch-sit for a lot of the day with books and friends.

Drinkable art won't last, so I think we just have to enjoy the visual and then enjoy the coffee.

Hope you and JB are having a great weekend. You're right about significant others. Perhaps I've mentioned once or twice how lucky I feel to have Madame MBH around.

>54 charl08: Ha! Yeah, I've never had a latte that fancy either, Charlotte - my fanciest looked like a pine tree. I used to have a photo of it, but I must have deleted it.

Yeah, I don't know how much it helped that we told the ER facility, but Madame MBH had read a lot about t-Pa, and its success when given early on to a stroke victim. So we had his caregiver tell them about it. They had reasons for not giving it right away, but once they did, it had a huge effect.

Is that everyone? If I missed you, please let me know.



Alice Pasquino

Happy weekend, Joe! Glad your dad's doing OK. Loving the C & H.

Glad everything is back on track and you were able to avoid the hospital. I'm finding How Smart Animals Are to be a bit of a slog, which is too bad considering how interested I am in the subject matter. But de Waal isn't what you'd call naturally gifted as a writer. Either that, or there was no editor on the project. But I shouldn't say such harsh things about it, as I'm only halfway through. However, considering my lack of motivation to get through the rest...

Clearly it's just me who doesn't get Calvin and Hobbes. I'll stick to the idea that it must be a cultural thing....rather than a my-brain-doesnt-work thing ;)

>59 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda! Happy weekend!

He's doing way better, thanks. Glad you're loving the C & H. Here's one of my favorites:



>60 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. It is back on track, and he just needs to get stronger.

Sorry to hear it with How Smart Animals Are. I've had that happen, and probably we all have. You're looking forward to a book that seems right up your alley, and then it's disappointing. Good thing there are plenty more out there waiting for you.

>61 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Isn't that something - they say that humor sometimes doesn't translate well from one culture to another. I work with a guy who grew up in Germany, who has a great sense of humor, but sometimes he doesn't get U.S. humor, and he's told me that there are jokes in Germany that we wouldn't think are funny at all.

Calvin and Hobbes seem so universal to me. It's good to be reminded: not necessarily.

Ah, Joe...what a time you've had with scary biopsies and scary reports on Dad....I'm glad everything has calmed down, and you can breathe a little easier now. The Aged Parents (and other relatives as well, in my case) are cause for somewhat constant concern and periodic panic; it is the way we are now.

Good to hear that your Dad is doing well, Joe. Now you can enjoy your long weekend.

>64 laytonwoman3rd: Woo, ain't that the truth, Linda. Thanks for commiserating. I like "calmed down" much better. Yeah, we were talking about the Aged Parent thing. Our (Madame MBH's and my) parents' parents didn't live long enough for our parents to have to take care of them at all. It's a lot different these days. As I think I mentioned, my dad said to me a few years ago, "You get to be my parent now." As you say, constant concern and periodic panic.

>65 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Yes, we're enjoying the long weekend now. Took our favorite (and only) daughter out last night for dinner, and got to visit with her and her furry sidekick yesterday afternoon. Soon we're heading over to our neighborhood cafe to read and write - very "LT". I finished Zero World, a good sci-fi-er, so I need to pick out a new Kindle book, and start the new Longmire, The Highwayman.

Morning Joe! Happy Sunday! Looks like another beautiful day. Wasn't last night gorgeous?

I am on the homestretch of The Summer Before the War. It has been a good solid read.

I will gladly take more poetry recs. You might have a feel, for what I have been enjoying, these past couple of months and I want to keep this train rolling.

Ok, late to the party but I love your opening as always. Happy long weekend, Joe.

Morning Mark! Happy Sunday!

Another beautiful day, and last night was gorgeous, for sure. We had a fine time out in it with the divine Miss Becca. Her birthday celebration just keeps on going; we took her to a restaurant we knew she'd like.

Isn't The Summer Before the War a good 'un? Glad you've enjoyed it.

Poetry: I think you'd like Tony Hoagland. You might want to start with What Narcissism Means to Me. Sweet Ruin is really good, too. I'm going to be reading his new one, Application for Release from the Dream, after I re-read Dream of a Common Language.

>68 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Glad you love the opening. You're right, long weekend for us over here. Love it!

Good news on the pappy front. Our dad is being discharged this afternoon to head home. One of our kids nicknamed him "Rubber Man'', based on the way he keeps bouncing back. That fits today.

Don't know the artist, unfortunately. (With Charlotte's help, it's: Dice Sixtyseven).

Seems to be a pic of the artist's daughter... love this Joe, thanks for sharing it.

http://www.soglos.com/culture/37315/In-the-studio-with-Dice-Sixtyseven

>72 jnwelch: Never mind the artist, I think I know the kid! (Not really, but that could be my grand niece Lily. She has the 'tude.)

>73 charl08:. Dice Sixtyseven- thanks, Charlotte! I was hoping someone might know/dig it out.

My pleasure. Such a good one.

>74 laytonwoman3rd:. Ha! I'd like to meet your niece, Linda. I love that 'tude.

>75 jnwelch: Joe, this is Lily. And she'd like a word with you.

>76 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! Oh, you were so right, Linda. She's got the 'tude!

I've always loved the name Lily, too. We need to get her street-arted somewhere. :-)

Love the latest street art! Have just added it to my Pinterest collection, thanks! I guess I'll really have to get back to The Summer Before the War when I'm in the right mindset for it...

>78 Smiler69: Great, Ilana! Glad you like that street art. She's ready to take on the world, isn't she.

I know how it is - I'm a mood reader, and sometimes I'm just not in the right place inside to read something, even if it's good. I hope you match up with The Summer Before the War at some point. I'm excited about her as an author.

OK, here's one about my youth in Ann Arbor.

Tracks

We'd all work our way through the night brush
The young trees bending, green shadowed leaves in the
Darkness scratching, the path always
Overgrown so quickly, whispering to
Keep this secret, not disturb those
Who don't know.

At last, down another slope, the path opens to a
Mystery of joy: what will happen tonight, here
By the slow dark river, the carefully laid gravel, the
Moon shining tracks running tracks running off in both directions,
The steel-staired tower,
Trees rustling behind and around us, the tall
Long grasses in the field shifting endlessly,
Small animals hiding beneath, the moon overhead.

Beers pop open, laughter and sparring insults.
It's enough to be together, young
Men and women with all the changes
Clanking toward us like a
Train that won't be stopped -
But here, the train just blares by all that
Power, just carries away
Down the tracks, leaving us
Hollering and waving behind.

One night, up on the river bridge,
Smoking and passing the pipe, we forgot
To watch out.
As if mounted on air, the pipe just
Stopped, hanging there between us,
Unhanded, suspended, above
Every bridge we'd ever know, as the

Train blew hard and huge and wide
As the night, bursting into the world
High and hard above us,
Devouring, engorging trees, grass,
Stars, tracks, our lives
-Nearly- as laughing, shouting, we rolled and
Spilled off the bridge, down the gravel slope like
Bundles and bags kicked loose
Tumbling toward the slow dark river
Silly, happy, alive.

All caught up with you, Joe, and glad to see that all is well with your Dad - so scary, that. Keeping both him and you in my thoughts. Happy Sunday to you!

Happy Sunday, Mamie!

Thanks! He's back home and happy. That's the shortest hospital stay I think he's had. What a turnaround from a scary situation.

>71 jnwelch: Great news on the Rubber Man, Joe - long, long may he continue to bounce!

>80 jnwelch: Men and women with all the changes
Clanking toward us like a
Train that won't be stopped

Like that buddy.

Joe, so glad that your Dad's report turned out well.

Also glad that The Summer Before the War is getting so much love here.

>83 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Long, long may he continue to bounce!

Glad you liked those lines. Hope you're enjoying the weekend, mate.

>84 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne. His relatively quick turnaround was not what we expected, but we'll take it!

Yes, The Summer Before the War deserves the love, doesn't it?

Thank you to all who have served our country, and a tip of the hat and a hug to my dad, who served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater in WWII.

>80 jnwelch: LOVE the poem, Joe! Great imagery, my friend and I definitely remember those times too. LOL. Great job!

Happy Memorial Day, my friend. We are taking a bike ride this morning and then I have to cut the lawn. The afternoon will be spent, at a cookout with friends. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Have a great day and a quick salute to your Dad, for serving our country.

Morning, Joe!

>87 msf59: Oh, good, Mark. Thanks! Yes, you would have fit right in with the gang by the tracks. :-)

Happy Memorial Day, buddy. We've got a goof-off day planned, with some long walks, reading, and a trip to the cafe. We're getting near the end of Farmer Boy in the Little House series, so I'm picking up On the Banks of Plum Creek as our next one.

Thanks re my dad. What a time they lived through. He's resting at home, and a bit confused, but doing well.

>88 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Hope it's a good one today at the Pecan Paradisio.

Love this last poem, sir. Captured the joy, and excitement, and newness of everything, in youth for me! Whooo hook! Trains. Rivers. All the joy!

I was caught for a moment this morning, listening to the TV speaking about Memorial Day (Decoration Day), thinking about how my father was a causality of World War II in that he never really recovered from having his young adult life so captured by the war experience, he and his young wife never having the chance to bond through the every day-ness of marriage and raising a young boy (my bro), how my mother ended up living her whole life dealing with her bitterness of having never had the man in her marriage provide for her what she'd imagined she would have, how my brother spent his life sad, and hurt, and rebellious because his father "abandoned him" to go to war. Whew. Lots of fall out from that big war in my family.

I finished reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn which certainly does give one the opportunity to think about how each generation in a family has much to contribute to who we are today.

Hope you are enjoying this long weekend, getting some good reading done, and generally relaxing with all being well in your world.

>91 maggie1944: Ah, really glad to hear it, Karen. It's taking a while to figure out what poems will work well here. Thanks! Such a joyful time that was. One of the attendees at the tracks, our daughter's godfather, was here just last weekend, to help celebrate her 30th birthday.

Wow, what a great description of the effect of the war on your family. My sympathy. What an impact on everyone your father's role in WWII had. Wish it could have been different.

My dad had harrowing experiences, but wasn't traumatized. He met our mother after the war, and didn't talk about it at all until we were much older.

I'm a lucky one who missed being a soldier, and I can't imagine how that would've affected me at that age. War is among the worst of what we do, and the traumatic effects spread well beyond the battlefield.

Oh, I didn't know you had finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Did you like it? I was impressed, and could see why it has the staying power it does.

My dad and his brother are the last of the generation before us in our family. Both served in WWII, his brother in the Air Force. I'm thinking of them both today.

Yes, it's a very relaxing weekend. No major events, so lots of reading and writing, and shooting the breeze with friends. Hope you're having a good one, too. I love the sounds of the community you're in.

Morning, Joe!

I am ensconced at work today. I will spend it doing some cleaning out of offices. Time that was done, and I don't think I will get interrupted with patrons today. Most of them will be off work and somewhere else.

I forgot to tell you that I started As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee this is a book that you read sometime last year and I wanted to get read. The copy I have is one of the old library copies and even though the book is about 220 pages in length, and it is heavy. I mean that it must weigh ten pounds. The paper used in it is thick heavy weight paper and even though it was published in 1969 it shows no sign of chemical burn. That book was made of good stuff.

Good morning, Joe! I'm glad to hear all is okay with your dad. I tend to go dark on the weekends.

>93 scaifea:. Morning, Amber!

>94 benitastrnad:, >95 benitastrnad:. Hope you take some time off today, Benita, but I know how that is. When it's quiet you can get to some of those things at work that you've been wanting to do, which are too difficult to get to when the place is buzzing.

So glad you're reading As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning. Great memoir of him as a young man. The kind of adventures we'd all like to have.

Bizarre that the book is that heavy, but it sounds well made. Hope you enjoy reading it. His Cider with Rosie is a knockout, too.

>96 brodiew2:. Good morning, Brodie!

Thanks re my dad. Great to have him home and doing okay.

I'm usually on LT less on the weekends, too. Glad you could stop by. Hope you're having a relaxing time.

>80 jnwelch: oh goody. copied to my Joe's poetry folder

last 2 stanzas almost stand alone and are the best, imo.

wishing we would actually treat our Vets well and not just talk about it. remembering my Dad, too, as i do almost every day. i'm grateful he was in the European Theater as a combat medic and carried no gun. the things he carried were enough without that.

my time on Books for Soldiers has given me much greater respect for our troops and a lot less respect for the military.

Joe, i still urge you to read Fives and Twenty-Fives.

hope on your porch yesterday you were all feelin' groovy. ;-)

>84 NarratorLady: hi Anne. long time! we've been path-crossing.

thanks for the encouragement on Summer Before the War. i have it already in my library. we'll see about the narrator. seems tolerable.

WWI. again. i keep thinking abt that line from Regeneration where Sassoon tells Owen that one night he was walking up to the line and seeing the fires and the limbers (carts that pulled artillery pieces) against the skyline. he says, "A hundred years from now they'll still be ploughing up skulls. ... I think I saw our ghosts." and of course that would put it about now and we do still seem to be seeing the ghosts and trying our best to clothe them.

>80 jnwelch: Okay. How did I miss that the first time around? Thank goodness for Ellie's comments. I am thinking maybe we cross-posted and so I didn't see it somehow? Anyway, I really love it - like revisiting Dandelion Wine, the later years. But just a peek. Nice.

Hi Joe, so very glad that things worked out so well with your Dad. Rubber Man sounds like the perfect nickname for him.

So you are an excellent cafe host, great at recommending books and now an admirable poet. A true Renaissance Man!

I've been lost in the mid-17th century Canadian woods for the last few days as I read The Orenda. I can see it may be a little too graphic in it's violence for everyone, but I am loving this book!

Happy Tuesday, Joe!

>98 mirrordrum: Thank you for wanting to keep a copy on hand of the poems, Ellie.

Really good point about the last two stanzas. I'm thinking maybe the last three? Madame MBH's writing teacher talks about how writers sometimes "clear their throat" before getting to what the piece is really about, and recommends deleting the introductory throat-clearing stuff. Maybe Tracks would benefit from that. Good food for thought.

Woo, combat medic. Your dad was a brave man. What a lot he must have seen and experienced.

I'm all for better treatment of our vets. Too often they get lost upon return, among other things. I've seen improvement here, but there's a long way to go.

Thanks for the reminder re Fives and Twenty-fives. I've added it to the WL.

We had a groovy time on the porch. :-) Lots of reading, lots of visitors, many of them furry (Madame MBH likes to give out treats, so dogs in the area run right up).

>99 mirrordrum: I support heeding Anne's recommendation to read Summer Before the War. Really good. Regeneration was a knockout, too.

>100 Crazymamie: Oh good, Mamie. Probably cross-posting. So glad you like it! It was a Dandelion Wine time, down there by the tracks.

>101 DeltaQueen50: Thanks re our dad, Judy. He continues to surprise us with that resilience. And thank you re the poetry. I'm glad it's working for folks. I hear it all so strongly in my head that I can't really imagine how it sounds to others. I think I'm getting a feel for ones that fit in the cafe.

I'll check out The Orenda. The book and author are both new to me - he's a CAC author, right?

>102 scaifea: Happy Tuesday, Amber!

Morning, Joe! Thought of you as Abby and I drove through the local coffee shop for lattes this morning. We treated ourselves after dropping off the dogs for grooming.

Morning Joe! Today is my regular day off, so I am a Happy Camper! Working the day after a holiday is always a trial, so I am glad to avoid it.

On the GN front, I finished Black Magick Volume 1. It is a series about a detective/witch. Not as strong as Stumptown but still worthy. I like Rucka.

I am going to start Panter. It looks to be more a picture book but it is beautifully done. And then Paper Girls is waiting in the wings.

>105 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Jeez, you and Abby could've come here for your lattes. Our aren't quite as substantial as those RL ones, though.

I'll be the dogs are geting their summer cuts. I know Grandpup Sherlock is glad he got his.

>106 msf59: Morning, Mark!

Great timing with your usual day off - keep that holiday weekend going! It's another beautiful day out there. 71 F coming into work today.

I'll take a look at Black Magick Volume 1; I like Rucka, too. I'm still reading the second Descender and liking it.

Panter? I'll look forward to your comments. I think you'll have a good time with Paper Girls.

It is actually called Panther but I can not find the right touchstone. Weird. The author is Brecht Evens. It does play more like a children's picture book but gorgeously rendered.

>108 msf59: Got it, thanks, Mark. The illustrations I could find are interesting.

Morning Joe. Love your opening illustrations (as always!). Glad the health news seems to be good for both you and your dad. I didn't get to my Doig book for May so I'll have to play catchup for Mark's challenge. I've enjoyed Doig in the past.

Good morning, Joe! I hope all is well. :-) I'm wrapping up my latest read, Doctor's Orders, but took a trip to Barnes and Noble yesterday. I now have five new books on my radar, one of which is likely to be my next read. Have you heard any buzz on Smoke: A Novel by Dan Vyleta?

>110 RBeffa: Morning Ron. Glad you like the Imai illustrations.

Thanks re the health news. Both my dad and I have some follow-up, but it's looking good.

I liked the Doig I read, Dancing at the Rascal Fair; the man can write. At some point I'll give This House of Sky a go, as there's been widespread enthusiasm for that one.

Have you tried any Haruf? If you like Doig, Haruf might work for you, too.

>111 brodiew2: Good morning, Brodie!

All is well on my end. I haven't read any of the Star Trek novels, but my recollection is that Diane Duane is supposed to be pretty good?

I have heard buzz about Smoke: A Novel, all of it positive. It looks really intriguing, and I plan to try it myself some time soon. I'll look forward to your reaction if you decide to read it.

>112 jnwelch: I've read one Haruf (Where You Once Belonged) and liked it a lot. Based just on the one book I might rate him a notch higher than Doig - but both are good. Haruf unfortunately was not a prolific writer but I look forward to reading more of him. I have a lot of unread Doig to keep me busy for some years too!

>103 jnwelch: "Madame MBH's writing teacher talks about how writers sometimes "clear their throat" before getting to what the piece is really about." i like that! with Tracks, all of a sudden i was there. just fell right in.

"What a lot (Dad) must have seen and experienced." yeah, i only know a bit. he was a great storyteller and told stories about the war to summer campers at the Academy. he only told 2 that were hard, well, 3, but he was always making the point that it was neither glorious nor heroic.

he did tell abt a Catholic soldier, blown off at the waist by a shell, who lived half an hour until the Chaplain arrived. a power of faith/strength of will story tho he was not religious at all himself. and how the hardest thing he had to do was keeping his platoon (he was an Lt.) from going into a field to rescue a soldier who was screaming for help. leadership requires keeping in mind greatest good for greatest number type thing. and he was the kind of guy who would have run through machine gun fire to save one of his guys. nearly killed him; i could tell. everything else he talked abt was either funny or making the point that for grunts, war is uncomfortable, dirty, exhausting and, when not terrifying, mind-numbingly dull. he left no aspect unglamorized except the strength and kindness of ordinary people, the idiocy of the high command and his love for his men. it was that nasty winter in the Ardennes and they had been deployed in summer gear to fool German spies. dear lord.

nice to write it down somewhere. thanks. Fives and Twenty-Fives. yep. stories need telling.

"Both my dad and I have some follow-up, but it's looking good."
That is excellent news. Getting old is such an adventure, is it not?

I'm glad you liked Dancing at the Rascal Fair. I have such good memories of that read, even though I don't remember the story in tremendous detail.

I am currently reading Salt to the Sea, centered around an aspect of WWII about which I have not heard before. I was a bit skeptical based on the the inside flap verbiage, but it is turning out to be an excellent read. Mark warbled about it a while back.

Wishing you and your dad more good news as the follow up ensues.

>113 RBeffa: Oh good, Ron. If you liked Where You Once Belonged, I suspect you're going to love Haruf's later ones. You've probably heard me here more than once, but Plainsong is a knockout, and starts a great trilogy.

>114 mirrordrum: Ah, I wish I could've heard your dad tell those stories, Ellie. He sounds like a guy well worth knowing. What terrible things to experience, and deal with as best he could, for the sake of the men he commanded. Some of the fooling the Germans that went on makes sense to me - the inflatable tanks and fake airplanes and that kind of thing. But summer uniforms in winter mountains, not so much. That must have been tough.

Any stories you want to tell here are more than welcome!

>115 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen.

"Getting old is such an adventure." I love it - who knew we'd actually learn some worthwhile things from all that happened along the way? But the increased difficulties of health maintenance, arrggh, those I could do without.

Dancing at the Rascal Fair was very good - Scots immigrating and homesteading in the Helena, MT area, with romantic entanglements.

Yeah, you probably missed my warbling on Salt to the Sea. Like Mark, I thought it was excellent. Glad you're finding it a worthwhile read.

I'm still waiting to hear about my dad's checkup today. He sounded good on the phone yesterday, but drifting a little ways out into the cosmos. That may mean another infection has hit him. We'll see. Thank you for the good wishes.

Hope you've had good news about your dad. Sorry to hear be might have another infection. The theme of war stories reminded me of Adam Foulds' book about the Italian campaign In the Wolf's Mouth. Really sensitively done.

I have just finished Bourbon Island 1730 - intriguing GN looking at French colonial history (and pirates!).

Thanks, Charlotte. Still waiting to hear back regarding our dad.

Thanks for the book tips. In the Wolf's Mouth looks intriguing (I feel like I've read good things about Adam Foulds), as does Bourbon Island 1730. How did you come across Bourbon Island? It sure seems off the beaten path.

Fingers crossed about your Dad. Keep us posted.

>115 EBT1002: Hooray for Salt to the Sea!

>119 jnwelch: He did an autobiographical comic for the Mome issue I read, and this was what the library had. Apparently he is big in France. The translator did a good job, I thought.

I received Alan Furst's newest book! Yay!

>117 jnwelch: "Scots immigrating and homesteading in the Helena, MT area, with romantic entanglements." *chortle*

"drifting a little ways out into the cosmos." uncertain times, Joe. very hard. thanks for keeping us informed.

If your Dad is hosting another infection, I hope his doctors are on top of it. Positive thoughts coming your way, buddy.

Keeping you and your dad in my thoughts, Joe - here's hoping there's no more infection.

>120 msf59: Thanks, Mark. No bacteria, no infection for my dad, so that's good news. But his mind's somewhere in Bizarro-ville right now (sweet and happy, but nowhere near this world), so we're keeping an eye on that. He keeps changing things up, so I'm not sure whether we're in a "new normal", or a phase. We'll see.

Yes to Salt to the Sea! I need to circle back to her earlier one.

>121 charl08: Ah, gotcha, thanks, Charlotte. I'm tempted by Bourbon Island 1730.

>122 maggie1944: Great news, Karen! I know you're a big Alan Furst fan. I was entranced by George MacDonald books when I was a kid, and I'm getting the new version of his The Golden Key. I'm hoping the spell can still affect me at a more advanced age.

>123 mirrordrum: Glad that inspired a chortle, Ellie! :-) We probably should invite one-line summaries of favorite books at some point.

Yeah, our pa's mind is making interesting connections these days. There apparently are 28 condos just like his in existence (alternate universes?), and he tells us he recently visited every one of them. Ohh-kay. But he's sweet and happy, so that's a positive. I appreciate you and others taking an interest.

>124 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. Thank you for your concern and positive thoughts.

Ironically, I kind of wish they had found an infection. In the past, that explained the mental disbalance, and antibiotics eventually got him back to our world. No infection this time, but he's journeying in "delirium" anyway. I'm not sure what to make of it, to be honest. Sweet and happy takes some of the alarm out. We're watching him, and seeing what develops.

>125 scaifea: Thanks, Amber.

Right now, no infection, so that is good news. I'm normally all for journeys in alternate universes, but he's got me a bit worried about the state of his space ship at the moment. We'll see.

I liked this tribute to Malala.

Miracles on Maple Hill is an old-fashioned, young adult/middle reader story about how being in nature can heal people. It won the 1957 Newbery award. Thank you to Amber for recommending it.

Ten-year-old Marly's father, is suffering PTSD from the Korean War. He's embittered with a quick temper, and is alienating himself from his family. Then Marty's mother, Lee, persuades him to go with her, Marley and son Joe to Lee's fondly remembered childhood cottage on Maple Hill. The jovial Mr. Chris lives nearby, making maple syrup and otherwise getting by. He's knowledgeable about all the natural wonders of Maple Hill. Along with his wife Chrissie, Mr. Chris takes Marly's family under his wing, and persuades them to stay longer than originally intended.

Repairing the cottage, working the garden, and recovering his love of singing, all work wonders for Marlee's father. That is only one of many "miracles" she finds in life on Maple Hill. Joe grows as well, showing heroic qualities, and when Mr. Chris runs into some trouble, they have an opportunity to give back to him for all his kindness. An uplifting tale from the old school that'll make you smile.

Alice Pasquini

Morning Joe! Keep coming with the street art. Always a joy to see.

It is not raining at the moment. Can it hold out until 3ish? Stay tuned...

Nearly done, with The Summer Before the War...just listening to the "sad" part.

just came by to flap a mitt and check up on you and your Dad. i'm glad he's at least journeying happy, though that doesn't make it much easier on you.

>129 jnwelch: i've got her book but haven't read it yet.

also wanted to pass along a site i encountered on Huff Post about street art in Jordan refugee camps .

later on. don't forget to breathe mindfully now and then or read a Zen poem or watch a Thich Nhat Hanh vid. it helps. :-)

>132 msf59: Glad you're enjoying the street art, Mark. Hoping the rain lays off until 3ish or so.

You're getting close to the end in The Summer Before the War. I'm glad it's been a good ride for you. Me, too.

>133 mirrordrum: I haven't read Malala's book yet, either, and I want to, Ellie. I've seen her speak on the interweb, and she's so impressive.

Thanks for the link re Pejac - good for him. Art can really lift the spirits, and that's what he's done in an area that needs that badly.

Yeah, you're right about breath and Zen and Thich Nhat Hanh. I do and will do those things. It will all be fine. The unpredictability and desire to do right by him, when he's unable to help himself, makes it challenging sometimes. My sisters are suggesting we relax and go with it, and that's probably right.

>134 jnwelch: yes, your sisters are right and it's easier said than done. that's why the breathing and Zen and things. dropping the shoulders, a walk if it's clement, anything that brings the mind back to the present moment, letting go of the stories we spin can help. i'll shut up now. ;-)

i thought perhaps some banana date nut bread and a cuppa might be soothing. i read and watch so much British material that i feel i must offer tea. scary, kind of. enjoy.

>135 mirrordrum: Ha! Thanks, Ellie. Banana date nut bread is most welcome, and I'll even try the tea. Lowered shoulders and walk coming up soon.

I'm also going to spend some time with level-headed Hope Jahren in Lab Girl. She's a good one to spend some time with.

Joe, I've been MIA, and in checking your thread I see I missed a lot. I'm so sorry for what you are going through with your dad. I send all good wishes!

And, the opening illustrations are simply marvelous. They sent me to check the art work of this man!

>137 Whisper1: Good to see you, Linda!

It will be A-OK with our dad, thanks. Just me wanting to "fix" problems, and sometimes that's not in the cards. Thank you for your good wishes.

As with Ilana, I especially am glad you enjoy the illustrations, as I know you follow that illustrated world closely. :-) You'll find Ayano Imai (a woman) has a slew of other good ones.

Happy new thread, Joe!

Going back to your question to me on your previous thread, for Louis Bayard I would recommend starting with either The Black Tower or Mr. Timothy. Mr. Timothy is Bayard's take on Dicken's A Christmas Carol where Tiny Tim is now an adult and finds himself involved in a murder mystery around Christmas time. As for Gavel, if you can find any of his works in translation (he writes in French), I would suggest Adieu, Betty Crooker (sorry, no touchstone).

Love the C & H posts popping up here!

Glad to see that the biopsy came back benign but sorry to read that your father's mind seems to be drifting. I continue to keep your father in my thoughts.

>72 jnwelch: - Great picture!

I love your thread toppers Joe! Always a pleasure to visit! I'm sorry about your dad. It is very hard to want to fix things for a loved one , but be unable to do it. Glad that you and Mark also enjoyed The Summer Before the War. I can't wait for her next book. I also loved Kent Haruf.

>131 jnwelch: Pasquini! I can't say enough about the beautiful world weariness of her subjects.

Okay, I'm back. I was lyin' about that just part. Been doing some 'net surfing concerning Keith Haring and ran across this image melding Banksy with Haring's iconic dog.



Apparently you can buy a print of this from Walmart. The image shown IS a photo of street art.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed Miracles on Maple Hill, Joe.
And I'm inspired by your love of your father and your strength in working through what is a not-the-easiest life/relationship transition with him. Ellie's advice seems excellent and I'll be keeping it in mind for when my turn comes along with my own aging parents. Thinking of you, friend.

Good to hear from everyone. As you can tell, the proprietor is running a little late this morning. I'll catch up with you in an hour or so.

Goof morning, Joe. I hope your day is off to a good start! 'See' you soon.

Morning Joe! Sweet Thursday! Gorgeous day in Chicagoland!

I am visiting Three Pines. It is only book 7, but I am sauntering along with the series. Always a pleasant visit.

Morning, Joe!

OK, here we go.

>139 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

Appreciate the Bayard and Gavel tips. Sounds like finding something in English by the latter is going to be difficult, and my French ain't so bon, unfortunately.

>140 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. Glad you're enjoying the toppers.

Yeah, sometimes it just can't be fixed. We'll have to see where this goes with my dad. We've succeeded in keeping him home, where he wants to be, to this point, but we may end up having to change that. I hope not. He loves being in his own place.

Simonson and Haruf make me smile. Such good writers; what gifts they have given us.

>141 brodiew2: We're having a good time with her art, aren't we, Brodie? (I fixed the Pasquini up there). She's prolific and always interesting. Glad you're enjoying them.

>142 weird_O: Always a pleasure to see you and Mr. Crumb, Bill. Pass on through any time.

>143 weird_O: Ah, good one, Bill. I've seen that one, and wondered whether it was a Banksy/Haring collaboration, or an homage by Banksy, or an homage by someone else.

We knew a guy who had an original Banksy, for free, done for a nuclear armament protest his son was at. Lucky.

>144 scaifea: As you can tell, I did indeed enjoy Miracles on Maple Hill, Amber. Thanks for the suggestion. That's one my mom would've loved when she was alive.

I appreciate your kind comments re my dad. Honestly, it helps that my sisters and I look at things the same way, and that we all read Being Mortal early on. We're trying to give him the best end of life possible, and it's a project. He can't really make any decisions any more - legal, financial, health, and so on. For a few years I did it all, and then it got to be too much. So now we divvy it up, and all the non-children spouses pitch in, too. It takes a village to take care of him. We call ourselves "Team Lyndon". He has no idea what's going on behind the scenes, but he appreciates the result.

He's happy, and that's the measure of the success.

>146 brodiew2: Good morning, Brodie.

Ha! Now that you're seeing me, how do I look? :-)

It has been a good start to the day. It is GORGEOUS here. I'll try to get outside again soon. Hope yours has started well, too.

>147 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark!

Isn't this something? What a gorgeous day. For various reasons, I had a good long walk to work along the river, and it was idyllic.

Three Pines! Love it there, although, have you noticed, a lot of murder and mayhem occurs that's either in that little village, or connected to it? :-)

Where did Angela Lansbury's tv series take place? Cabin Cove, or something like that? We always said, you'd have to be crazy to live there - people getting murdered all the time.

Your timing is good - Louise Penny's new one will be released at the end of August. She keeps the quality at such a high level, doesn't she?

I'm enjoying my Montana mystery, The Royal Wulff Murders, much more than I expected. The author really knows his fishing and animal lore.

>148 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! For once, instead of wishing I was at the bucolic Pecan Paradisio, I wish you were here. The weather gods have really smiled on us. Just a lovely day here.

In Miami, by Smog One

hi Joe. wish you were home. :-)

>154 mirrordrum: Whoa, thanks, Ellie. Someone gets bonus points for observation, imagination, and clever execution. Nice!

I just saw that Pax is in its 15th week on the NY times "Middle Grade Hardcover" bestseller list. If you haven't read it, it's well worth your getting your hands on it.

what i want to know is why nobody ever mentions Plainsong on this list. i come here for wise counsel and does anybody ever mention Plainsong? nope. not you, not Mark, silence. a desert of indifference you have here. well just to throw a stone into this pond of negligence, Plainsong is quite a good book. i have cast Rooney Mara quite indelibly as Victoria Roubideaux based on the movie Ain't these bodies saints and her ability to be minimalist.

btw, did you catch the mixing of metaphors there? jackboot into the melting pot type thing only in two sentences. i rather liked it.

toodles.

>157 mirrordrum: Hello mirrordrum! In Joe's defense...wait a minute you're joking, aren't you?

Joe recommended Plainsong to me as one of the most meaningful books he has read. It is now on my wishlist.

Ha! Good to know that Plainsong is quite a good book, Ellie. I'll mention it to Mark. I could have sworn we mentioned that book several thousand a couple of times, but I'm sure you'd remember.

I love the idea of Rooney Mara as Victoria! (I need to find Ain't these bodies saints).

A ways back we saw an excellent, low budget play adaptation of Plainsong at a Chicago small theater. Absolutely loved it. It deserves to be further adapted for stage and screen, don't you think?

Mixed metaphors: I'm still working on your throwing a stone into a pond of negligence. Wouldn't a pond of negligence be dry? Wouldn't the stone bounce?

>158 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie.

See, Ellie? I knew Mark and I had mentioned Plainsong over and over again once or twice. I'm glad you found time to for goodness sake, everyone should find time to read it.

I'm glad it's on your wishlist, Brodie. Without meaning to overdo the message, Mark and I hope you read it some time soon.

You might give Lonesome Dove a go some time, too. :-)

ROFLMAO!

here's the trailer to Ain't them bodies saints. oh, it's a book. no it isn't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga0c0v-stK0

and yes, you definitely should consider Plainsong. and Mark as well. and trust me, ya get enough negligence all gathered together and it becomes a pond, nay, a slough. stones will plop.

eta i am not reading Lonesome Dove and there's an end to it. just like i wasn't reading Plainsong.

Brodie, you should know i never joke. never. ever. really. not ever. nope. wouldn't do it. ;-)

nice to meet you. you meet good folks at Joe's.

>161 mirrordrum: Whoa, that's some trailer. Thanks for the link, Ellie.

I'll mention whatever the name of that book is to Mark. Some little town in Colorado? You sure it's worth reading?

I guess you're right about the pond of negligence. But you better be pretty accurate in throwing the stones.



>162 mirrordrum: Yup. And boy howdy can the staff at Joe's roll out the vittles and imbibberies.

It is nice to meet you as well, mirrordrum. I have been meaning to catch 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints'. It looks good and I like Casey Affleck in general.

Just to be sure we're talking about the same book, I wanted to post a picture of the cover. Is this the you are referencing?

:-P

yeah, sure is. goof. :-) you surely do belong here.

We must have failed miserably, Joe! Sure we loved Plaingsong. But, did we warble about it loud enough? Shakes head, in utter disappointment and looks for a "pond of negligence", to wade into...

Markey, had you warbled any loudlier or more incessantly i'd be deaf and wouldn't be able to listen to it as i now am. love the cartoon. :-)

>167 mirrordrum: Whew, Ellie...that is a load off, my friend.

>166 msf59: That looks more like the Slough of Despond to me.

Mornin', Joe!

>164 brodiew2:, >165 mirrordrum: Both you goofs sure belong here. :-)

>166 msf59: Ha! "Hello Mermaids!" We may have blown it with Plainsong, Mark (we might, for example, have warbled about it at least every other post), but the Pond of Negligence has more going for it than I first realized. Swimming with the mermaids is a great way to start any day.

>167 mirrordrum: Oh good, Ellie. I thought we'd fallen down on the job. Did I mention you might enjoy Plainsong?

>168 msf59: Hear, hear, Mark. I feel like I can have my coffee with a clear conscience now.



>169 laytonwoman3rd: If there are mermaids in the pond, Linda, it may be the Slough of Joy.

>170 scaifea: Mornin', Amber!

Oh dear - Plainsong is still sitting on MT TBR - you think I should read it?

I enjoyed Lab Girl and glad you are, too. I love the alternating chapters of wonderful botany facts and her experiences.

I had hoped to read Royal Wulff Murders for M & M month but didn't get it done. I met the author at the Montana Festival of the Book a few years ago - he was flying high since the second one in the series had made it onto an Oprah book list of favorite summertime mystery reads. I put my foot in my mouth up to my knee, since I didn't know that and he said something like "Are you a fan of the Oprah bookclubs?" And I told him no, that I often try to avoid Oprah books. Red face, red face! But he signed my book anyway. :-)

>173 streamsong: Hiya, Janet. Let me give this a little thought - YES!! to your reading Plainsong. Wait, I hear a warble coming on.

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of Plainsong in full-throated ease.

Great book. Did I mention that?

Yes, she has a lovely light touch in Lab Girl with both the sciences and her experiences. It's an awfully easy way to learn botanical science - a spoonful of sugar helps the science go down.

Ha! I often try to avoid Oprah books, too, although sometimes she has the audacity to love ones I also love. I had no idea his second one made her list - I find that encouraging, as I'm enjoying The Royal Wulff Murders, and wondering whether he has the staying power to write others as good.

I had that foot-in-mouth experience with the poet Edward Hirsch, whom I met up with by chance. I said something like I'd enjoyed his poems in the New Yorker, but that apparently was praise too faint, and he quickly raised his cloaking shields and disappeared.

David Zinn

Aw! Very cute.

>176 charl08: 'Tis, Charlotte. He's got a great eye for 3D - what would seem very difficult to pull off, he makes look easy.

I've had a hankering for a Ploughman's Lunch. A favorite for us in London, with a nice pint.

Good morning, Joe!

>175 jnwelch: Cute, indeed. I love 3D street art. Fantastic.

>178 jnwelch: I also love bread...and cheese....and, yeah, see above. :-)

I hope your poem, opened Janet's eyes, Joe and let's hope she is currently immersed in Plainsong as we converse.

Another job, well done...

Happy Friday, Joe! It looks like we have a warm one today, with plenty of sunshine.

I'll take it...

>179 brodiew2: Oops, almost missed you there, friend Brodie. Good morning!

Isn't his 3D work great? He's apparently from my hometown Ann Arbor, although I didn't know any Zinns.

I'm a pushover for bread . . . and cheese . . . and pickles.

Hope it's a good one out in your beautiful part of the country.

>180 msf59: I totally ripped off Keats' Ode to a Nightingale Book Warbler for that one, Mark, but we're pulling out all the stops to convince Janet to put Plainsong at the top of her tbr.

We earn our pay here, don't we? A warbler's song is never done . . .

I'll be out in the sunny weather not too long from now. Looking forward to it.

>174 jnwelch: ohhhh, dear Prop, you are in full form today (happy Friday). on your high blown days you could charm the magic casements off the faery windows and open the ears of the veriest sod to paeans. damn you're good. nice to visit JK. thanks.

>178 jnwelch: i'll just have close-up look at that there lunch.

i am now stuck trying to cast Plainsong, oh ye endless warblers. i'm in conversation w/ Redford as one of the McPherons and if Elizabeth Moss were older or Diane Wiest younger, i'd peg one of them for Maggie.

i've got to go eat a morsel and do ADL (activities of daily living). can't sit around here all day wittering.

>178 jnwelch: I had a modified version of that lunch today; Triscuit crackers in place of the crusty bread, unfortunately, but some nice sharp cheese, olives, pepperoni and leftover baked beans. Quite nibblesome. No pint. That will come later when we meet friends for some pizza and wings.

>182 mirrordrum: Ah, you've made my day, Ellie. I'm going to go out looking for some faery windows and veriest sods, and see how it goes. Probably easier to find the daft old sods.

JK had the goods, didn't he.

I sense some lunch snarfling about to commence. Luckily, those ploughmen are always given substantial quantities of fuel.

Hmm, casting Plainsong. Can we get Emily Blunt in there somewhere? I like her in just about anything. Maybe Matt Damon could play both McPheron brothers.

I'm here concentrating on my IDL (inactivities of daily living), and considering a career in wittering. Some consider me a natural.

Hi Joe, wish you a great weekend ahead. I'm glad Pax is doing so well. It's such a lovely and heartbreaking story!

>184 jnwelch: re: >182 mirrordrum: "windows" snitched in your manner from one of my favorite stanzas (7) where it appears as "casements":

"Perhaps the self-same song that . . . oft-times hath
Charm’d magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn."

and "sod" from the 6th stanza. i'm snitching from you snitching from others only not deftly b/c i haven't the touch of the poet in my veins, alas.

Emily Blunt in pretty much anything. pretty much. oh my yes. and i thought about Matt but i'm envisioning someone taller, lankier and much more weathered. i'm still very early in the book. how about Matt for Tom Guthrie? and yes, obviously, i wish they'd movie it up. and wouldn't it be great to be able to do sets for it?

>185 Smiler69: Hi, Ilana. Great to have a fellow Pax fan. I'm hoping more folks give that one a try.

Thanks - we went to dinner and a play last night. Hilarious small theater performance by Laurie Metcalf and French Stewart of an LA play, "Voice Lessons". It was in a new 80 seat space created at Steppenwolf - we could have reached out and touched the actors.

Today is a yard sale (I've got to supply some muscle for tables after this) and tomorrow we have Madame MBH's writing group coming here. Sherlock and his not-furry mom are coming over soon to help.

Hope you have a great weekend.

>186 mirrordrum: Good morning, Ellie.

I'm tempted to try to snitch from your snitching from my snitching, but it's just too early. I'm barely able to snatch enough coffee to even contemplate snitching.

I actually saw A Touch of the Poet on Broadway way (way!) back when with Jason Robards. What a knockout that was.

Matt for Tom Guthrie in Plainsong sounds good to me. Tall and weathered - I imagine the McPherson brothers as big, too (not lean). Hmm.

Kyle Chandler maybe, for one of them?



Chris Pratt?



And Emily Blunt could play all the other roles?

I love the wall art you've been posting.

Also loved your Ann Arbor poem. Lovely.

Somewhere on my phone I have some photos of some fine wall art I encountered in Sarasota. I will bring it here if I find them . . . and get through the laborious process of making them postable.

Morning, Joe!

Hi, Lucy!

Thanks - I'm glad you're loving the wall art. This has been fun; I'll post some more as we go along.

Great to hear you loved the Ann Arbor poem. That was a favorite spot, and a true story.

Jeez, I know what you mean about "laborious process". I wish it were easier to transfer personal photos onto LT. I'll look forward to seeing the Sarasota ones if you can pull it off.

Nice to have you visit! Hope you have a great weekend.

Morning, Mamie!

Hope all is well at the Pecan Paradisio. I keep thinking of poor Daniel. Is he a reader? (I forget). I think I'd go crazy with limited mobility if I couldn't read. I remember the Dresden Files got me through my first hip rehab.

Everything is most excellent here, Joe, except for the weather, which is once again YUCK. Rain is supposed to be headed our way, so if we get it maybe we will also get a break in the humidity.

Daniel does like to read - he loves fantasy. He also loves Gary Paulsen, so I am thinking he would read Winterdance if I put it into his hands. He really loves audiobooks, too. We will have to use all of our resources to keep him sane because he is usually very physically active. Luckily, we have movies and board games and plenty of company for him. Still, it will be a long haul.

Morning, Joe!
Did someone say Chris Pratt? Adorable, that one.

Morning Joe! Happy Saturday! It started drizzling earlier than I expected. Hopefully I stay mostly dry. Fingers crossed...

I like your casting choices for Plainsong. Like you, I am a big fan of Blunt. Did you know she has the lead in The Girl on the Train?

>192 Crazymamie: For you, I'll hope for rain to wash away that humidity, Mamie. Here, we're hoping it holds off, for our yard sale, Mark's working day, and the Cubs game this afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Sounds like you've got Daniel covered for distractions. I bet he would like Winterdance; we all sure did. If he hasn't read the Brian books after Hatchet, there are at least three of them, all good.

>193 scaifea: Ha! Morning, Amber. Yeah, Chris Pratt has that effect on the Welch women, too.

>194 msf59: Morning, Mark!

Sorry you got some drizzle. It's held off here, so Debbi and Becca have been able to sell a bunch of crap valuable stuff at our yard sale - ours is one of 66 (!) in the area, so it's a good turnout. Keith, the guy you met at the Super Bowl get-together, was here pre-Cubs game. He figures business will be even better once he leaves. :-)

I did see that the lovely Emily has the lead in Girl on the Train. That should be a big hit. Becca loved the book, and Debbi's just about to read it.

Plainsong the movie - it's got to happen at some point, right?

>195 jnwelch: He read all of the Brian books back in fourth grade, and a few times since then. You are right - he really loved those. You'll be happy to know that he has requested his first book to be brought to him - Furies of Calderon. This is a favorite series of both Craig and Daniel. They have both read it many, many times. Nothing like a comfort read when you are feeling off your pace.

Wow Joe it's jumping over here as usual. Sorry to hear your Dad was in the hospital. I'm glad he was a candidate for t-PA. Not everyone is. What a blessing. Take care and have a lovely weekend.

>196 Crazymamie: Glad to hear it, Amber. You know, having enjoyed Butcher's Dresden Files, I should give Furies of Calderon a try. That's a strong recommendation from your two guys.

>197 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta. Dad is back at home and chipper. I didn't realize not everyone is a candidate for t-PA. (I should've known you'd be knowledgeable about it!) It sure worked wonders for him. A blessing indeed.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, too.

Alice Pasquini

Indeed, life is always busy on your thread! Sorry to hear about your dad, but glad he is home again. Sounds like quite the yard sale! Love your casting for Plainsong.

Hi Joe
Sorry to hear about the troubles for your Dad. No infection is good but leaves many questions. Dehydration maybe?

Benign is a lovely word.

I know exactly why Plainsong is on my bookshelf - you and Mark. One of these days I'll actually read it.

>200 vancouverdeb: Hiya, Megan! One of the beauties of online hangouts is we can deal with time differences. You're enjoying late Sunday night, or maybe after midnight. We're just getting going in Chicago Sunday morning.

Dad's doing good, and is more with it, too, so we're feeling more relaxed on that front. The yard sale was a big success. Madame MBH got lots of stuff out of the house, and made some cash, and seasonsoflove made a good bit of money selling books she culled, so that now she's funded for book purchases at next week's Printer's Row book fair.

Doesn't that casting sound good? It'd be hard for Emily Blunt to play all the non-McPherson parts, but Tatliana Maslany does that kind of multiple role playing on Orphan Black.

>201 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli. They have the guy (Dad person) hydrate like crazy every day. I think maybe it's a holdover from the delirium he got at the hospital.

He's doing much better mentally, so that's more good news.

Yes, I lightly suggest reading Plainsong. I'm glad Mark and I remembered to mention how good it is once or twice.

Morning Joe! Happy Sunday! I have been bustling along this A.M. - doing my workout, writing a min-review, visiting a few threads. The four of us going to the Cubs game. we will make a day of it and might start it off, at the Goose Island location on Clark.

i am getting ready to start Jane Steele. This could be your cuppa. I am sure it on Becca's T.R. list.

Morning, Joe! Did you have a successful yard sale?

>203 msf59: Morning Mark! Happy Sunday!

You're moving and shaking already. Hope the weather holds up for the Cubs game, and the rain stays away! Starting with Goose Island sounds good. Have a great time.

My morning has been peculiar - all of a sudden yesterday afternoon one of my teeth started aching like crazy, so I just got back from an emergency visit with our dentist. I've got to get the mystery looked at further tomorrow, but there's a general plan and I'll be taking Vicodin. That means I'll get some sleep, which would be good, as I couldn't sleep at all last night with it.

Yes, I've got Jane Steele on my tbr. It does sound like my cuppa, and I bet Becca has it in her sights, too.

>204 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Yes, it was a very successful yard sale. We weren't selling big items this time, so the money wasn't huge, but we sold a ton of little stuff. We had a table full of books, mostly Becca's, and we were worried they weren't going to go - one of our dependable customers was away this year. But right before closing two others showed up and bought most of the table's books for their summer reading. Nice!

Becca got the money for her books, so now she's well-funded for book purchases at Printer's Row book fair. Ha! It's the circle of life.

Ugh! Sorry to hear about your toothache, Joe. Hope whatever you're taking for it at the moment is helping and you manage to get some sleep, and MOST importantly: are able to continue reading! :-)

 

I'm currently listening to Jane Steele and can confirm it's lots of fun. Also reading a wonderful anthology of natural science called The Bedside Book of Beasts: A Wildlife Miscellany by Graeme Gibson. He'd published The Bedside Book of Birds initially, and I have to admit I purchased both books because I was attracted to the book covers, but the mix of essays, poems, myths and stories about animals, generously illustrated with gorgeous artwork is proving a real joy to read by the bedside or otherwise.

>175 jnwelch: I love this little reading mouse :)

Loving catching up here on the "plane song" (I remember the collective warbling about that one) and the pond of Negligence! Haha.

>205 jnwelch: ew ew ew tooth problems. Best wishes for a solution to that, and some sleep too.

>206 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. Crazy tooth situation; just came out of nowhere. The Vicodin worked, and I just caught up a good bit on sleep.

Yes, I've been able to read, and just finished the excellent Lab Girl. She's a remarkable, modest person with a lot of notable accomplishments. I love her conversational voice and light touch with teaching us botanical science, while relating her challenging journey as a female scientist.

Those are attractive, hard-to-resist covers, and I'm glad you're enjoying The Bedside Book of Beasts. I suspect I'll be reading Jane Steele sooner rather than later, as the premise is right up my alley, and your reaction, like others I've seen, makes it sound like a fun read.

>207 LovingLit: Oh good, Megan. I'm glad you like the little reading mouse in >175 jnwelch:. Seemed perfect for our group, and I'm kind of amazed by the 3D effects that artist is able to create with chalk.

Yes, that Plane Song above the Pond of Negligence is a siren song, enticing readers to read that most excellent Haruf book. Glad you've gotten a kick out of the silly banter. It's all Ellie's fault.

I think we'll be able to solve the bizarre tooth mystery, and I did catch up on some sleep thanks to some helpful Vicodin. I'm actually a little surprised I can make some sense posting here now, as Vicodin usually puts me into a la-la mental state. I am making some sense, aren't I? Or maybe it's a la-la delusion?

Bang! Looks like I have no choice but to add Lab Girl to the wishlist.

>209 Smiler69: Ha! You'll be glad you did, Ilana.

I could see Matt Damon as Tom Guthrie, but those other guys are too young to play the McPherson brothers. I'd go with Tom Hanks and Chris Cooper.

>211 laytonwoman3rd:. Thanks, Linda. Good suggestions.

Hey Joe have you read Binti just finished listening to it today, master story telling, I think it might be up your street ....

#174
My sister has read two of the mysteries by Keith McCafferty and likes them. He is from Bozeman, Montana and when I visited there last month she took me to Wild Joe's coffee shop. This is a coffee shop in downtown Bozeman that McCafferty frequents. He wasn't there - or if he was I wouldn't have known because I have never seen him. I have the Royal Wulff Murders on my shelves and will have to get to it soon.

#213
I have Binti on my TBR list. It just won a Nebula Award for best novella which is quite an accomplishment for a YA title. All of the reviews of it have been positive and the author has several well respected previously published YA novels to her credit.

Oh yuck to the tooth ache! I've been there more than once and I sympathize. Yay for the vicodin, though. Here's hoping the situation gets cleared up for you today.
And I'm glad that Becca's books sold! I love the idea of a bookish circle of life - there's a hilarious meme in there somewhere...

Morning, Joe! Latte me up, it's Monday. So sorry about the tooth - no fun. Hoping you get it taken care of very soon.

>213 roundballnz: Hiya, Alex. Thanks for the tip! Binti looks just my cuppa. I hadn't realized it was a Nebula winner, as Benita tells us.

>214 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Wild Joe's Coffee Shop! That's a new one for me, but I sure like the name. One of my roommates in college always called me "Wild Man". Yes, I was a bit more energetic back then! "Wild Joe's Book Cafe". That would be unusual, wouldn't it?

Good to hear the additional endorsement for Keith McCafferty's books. I'll definitely be reading more. I'm not a fly fisherman (although I have done it), but even I could appreciate his skill in drawing us into that world and into the beauty of Montana. The writing isn't anywhere near that of Norman MacLean's in A River Runs Through It (whose is? not many), but it did make me think of it at times.

Thank you for the additional incentive to read Binti, too. I didn't realize it was a Nebula winner and, as you know, I'm fine with reading YA (which so often is just a marketing concept anyway).

>215 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Yeah, totally out of left field, or wherever oddball tooth events come from. I'm a grinder, and I may have cracked it. The Vicodin sure helps, but it makes me spacey (spacier). Madame MBH scoffs at my going to work today.

Becca/seasonsoflove is about the best book-reading daughter one could ever hope for. (She reads this thread, so I'll try not to give her too much of a swelled head). I know, the book-reading circle of life - we should be able to develop that some more.

>216 Crazymamie: Good morning, Mamie!

I'm waiting to hear on possible appointments. I suspect I cracked the tooth, as I did one other. I'm just waiting to hear about appointment possibilities.

Latte? Si, signora!

Trying to catch up after my computer woes and then trying to figure out how to use my new MAC.

>103 jnwelch:, >114 mirrordrum: It is a great throw-away by the teacher but I am not sure that I quite agree with her. My own experience is that the germ of an idea and usually accompanied by a phrase or a line or two will hit my subconscious and I will then build a poem around it. Quite often the first impressions and your opening of a poem are the most important as you have to keep the interest alive. It is certainly the case that it is an effort to sustain the idea through to the end of a poem with either no diminishing of its quality or an actual move towards crescendo.

>174 jnwelch: Bravo. Plainsong is my favourite American novel bar none.

Morning Joe! A nice warm one out here, lots of sunshine at the moment.

Hope your work day goes smoothly. You are starting Dodgers soon, correct? That is a good book.

>219 PaulCranswick: Wow! Such high praise from Paul! If that doesn't seal the deal on Plainsong, I don't know what could.

>219 PaulCranswick: Good for you, Paul. Glad you got some zippy new equipment. But I know learning to operate the darn things can be time-consuming.

It's undoubtedly the Vicodin, but I can't figure out what "the great throw-away by the teacher" was. I do think that people differ greatly in how they write, poetry and otherwise. Our son likes to compose first drafts of poems in his head as he walks around, and then write them down and work on them. For me, I don't compose in my head like that. I get down a first draft that comes to me from who knows where, and then I shape it toward what I'm hearing somewhere in my head. It usually takes a while to shape it to where it matches up well enough.

Yay for Plainsong! Glad it's your favorite Ammie novel. Mine, too. My favorite Brit novel would be the quite different Pride and Prejudice. Love the wit and storytelling and writing in that one.

>220 msf59: Morning, Mark! Yes, it's a beaut out there. I sat out by the river for a while.

Yes, starting Dodgers soon. Honestly, on Vicodin my reading IQ goes down (I went through this with the hips), and I need to read what for me is simpler fare. Uprooted fits that. So I'll turn to Dodgers, which I'm carrying around with me, once I can get off the V.

Ha! That is high praise from Paul for Plainsong. I hope it is sealing the deal for any of our group on the fence still.

Good morning, Joe! I wish you well from the heat of the Seattle are sunshine! I am sorry to hear of your toothache, but glad the meds allowed you some rest.

>199 jnwelch: This is interesting; a bit different from the others you've posted. I almost get an otherworldly flavor from this. These two could be pilgrims in some historical or post apocalyptic landscape. Another great Pasquini.

>222 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie. Good morning! Yes, the meds made a big difference, and I was able to get some good rest yesterday.

I always enjoy your thoughtful comments about the street art. She's great, isn't she. This one apparently is located in Istanbul, so that may be where that historical pilgrim/post apocalypse/almost otherworldly feeling is coming from. I like the juxtaposition of the traditional clothing with the highway below, too.

>221 jnwelch: it was the "clear their throats" line in >103 jnwelch: that I picked up on buddy.

>224 PaulCranswick: Ah, okay, thanks, Paul. The trip between brain cells takes a bit longer than usual today.

Yeah, not universally true, for sure, but the clear their throats idea really hit home with Debbi for the piece that provoked the comment. For me, I think of it as "warming up." Maybe you've had this experience. Sometimes I'll start writing, not knowing where it's going to go, and after some rather bland stuff, I find my way into something good, and get some momentum. Subsequently cutting the bland stuff can up the overall quality significantly.

Ellie's reaction to the beginning versus the end of The Tracks is intriguing. I'm going to revisit it at some point with that in mind.

hullo dahling. dental emergency? vicodin? oh bleh. at least the words are still flowing.

>208 jnwelch: >207 LovingLit: it's not my fault. i din't do nuthin'! you and Mark. the Plainsong Warblers. you should cut an album. beastly damn book. i don't want to listen to anything else and i never listen to just one book. well, i'm making myself shuffle around a bit amongst my simultaneous audios, but it's mere show.

hope the tooth mystery is quickly solved and resolved. bless you, dear boy. ;-)

>225 jnwelch: Yeah, I think some of the trick is knowing what to cut. I have learnt to prune better as I get older, I think.

>226 mirrordrum: Another benefit of visiting your pad these days is that it allows a sighting of dear Ellie - hello sweet lady. xx

>214 benitastrnad: >217 jnwelch: Hadn't picked up on the fact it was being marketed as 'YA' seems any book where main character/voice is young its now YA .... either way its master storytelling

good to see I can still pass on BB's .... :D Will be interested to see what you make of it

>227 PaulCranswick: hello you darling man. i miss being able to have my own thread so i could hold 'at homes'. i do think of you more often than you'd expect, oh Prince of Peacocks. good grief another bird in my life. between you and the Chi-town warblers, i'm aflutter. lovely to see your name.

thinking about you, too, Joe, and hoping things with the dentition are being remedied. bet you're on antibiotics next time we hear from you.

i just bought 5 books from audible.com. i was, of course, holding Mamie and the stuff she knows in my thoughts.

and you and Mark may not cast Emily as Victoria. i've already spoken for Mara in the role. everybody else? fine. i confess to sharing your admiration and whatnot. she's a great fave in this house. if you undercut me, i will absolutely fall into the pond of despond. period.

>229 mirrordrum: Ellie, I am so proud. Good work!

>229 mirrordrum: I haven't seen that nickname for a goodly while. xx

>230 Crazymamie: *blush* i do my best.

>231 PaulCranswick: xx back, Paul.

>226 mirrordrum: Ha! Good morning, Ellie. What a Plainsong uproar you've caused! Mark and I may have warbled here and there, I admit, but you've got the whole forest talking about it now. :-) Paul's joined the warbling, so the woods are filled with . . . Plainsong.

I bet our Mr. Haruf is getting a kick out of this, wherever he may be in that celestial library up above.

Tooth mystery was a crack, as suspected, that had an infection. The result was my first root canal and boy, that hurt like a son of a gun, during and after. Apparently I had a "hot tooth", because of the infection, that accentuated the painfulness. I ended up walking fast to and around a nearby park, trying to distract myself. Much better this morning!.

Look post-these posts for a new poem today.

>227 PaulCranswick: Right, Paul. It's a treat to see Ellie here a bit more, isn't it?

>228 roundballnz: Nicely done, Alex. That Binti BB has hit a number of folks, including me.

You may well be more sensible about YA in your part of the world. I was struck by The Book Thief not being YA where you are, which makes sense to me. I know more adults that have read it than young adults. You're right, these days a teen protagonist seems to make it YA.

>229 mirrordrum: You're right about the antibiotics, Ellie. Every eight hours, like clockwork. I return next Monday to find out whether the tooth has been saved, or needs to be yanked. We're all pulling (oops) for the former.

OK, OK, your choice carries the day for Victoria. Thank goodness you're an Emily fan, and amenable to her playing all the other non-McPherson parts. :-)

>230 Crazymamie: Ha! You and what you know are so influential, Mamie. I understand audible.com is considering giving you a special warbler's award.



>231 PaulCranswick: Good to hear back from you, Prince of Peacocks. :-)



>232 mirrordrum: Two of our finest, Ellie.

Oh, Joe! You poor, poor baby! My very first root canal was also a hot tooth. Didn't they stop and give you more meds - my doc had to do that twice in order to make the experience pain free. What you don't think about is that the next day your jaw is killing you from having had to hold it open for so long.

>236 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. They did stop and give me more anesthetic, but the nerves were inflamed and it was just . . . not good. Even two vicodin and some ibuprofen didn't tamp it down afterwards. Time eventually did. Eesh.

Thank goodness Madame MBH is a sweetheart. She made it much more tolerable.

YIKES!

Morning Joe! Much cooler out here today. A bit jarring but not complaining at all.

I may have to join you on Uprooted, in the coming weeks. That has been high on my T.R. list for ages.

BTW- I picked up the Hoagland collection you recommended and I finally started Paper Girls. Man, it grabs you right away doesn't it?

Okay, now I am having a giggle - Joe, you are reading Uprooted! UpROOTed?!

>238 Crazymamie: Ha! Exactly my thoughts.

>239 msf59: Morning Mark!

I like this temperature, whatever it is. It was refreshing coming into work.

I'm about halfway through Uprooted, and it's good. I suspect the second half must be even better for it to have won the award. This author (Novik) had another series that I read a few of, involving dragons. Well done, but the theme wore me out after a while.

Ha! Yes, Paper Girls grabs you right away, and doesn't let up. Hope I steered you right on the Hoagland. My instincts say yes, but we'll see.

>240 Crazymamie: Ah, the sweet irony of my reading Uprooted! In my medicated daze, I hadn't even thought of that one, Mamie. I'm not in the best temper this morning, but you at least coaxed a smile out of me. Maybe I'll re-read Zadie Smith's White Teeth after this one. Yesterday, post-dentist, I probably should've been reading Bitch in a Bonnet.

OK, the exchange with Paul about writing made me think of this Joe poem. It got published way back in the last century.

The Art of Writing

I want each bead to stand separately on the dark table top and glint each with a slightly different light and color. I want the table then to scoop itself concave and the beads to roll, not run, together and merge. I would say mercury but it is heavy and uniform and that is exactly not the point. I am writing too fast. There is a single bead (I am writing very slowly now) that is shouting and shouting. I will place the shout (that is, the threat) to one side, and examine the bead's texture.

It is tough; it bounces back. This is wonderful. It is there, among others, and I might say it dares me to continue, to graze its surface and move on, a shuffling anteater of a finger, in search of a texture that is smooth, well-rounded and crisp inside - yet not entirely satisfying. What do I want? A bead with authority, that would not budge at all?

That seems to reduce my responsibility and I am not writing slowly anymore. There's a girl's ass, a nice one, bending a little, giving and taking, elbows propped on the table, giving and taking as she listens to her friend's words, each word. And that must be the point. Whatever answer there is is there beside you. Can you shrug that off? Here, try this:

A crow above a leafless maple, suspended above the leafless black trees, hovering impossibly against the gray sky, absolutely still, like motion is some forced ignorance, a flight from contemplation. We move past in the car: it must have landed on a thin tree limb, too thin to be seen - but who cares? Pay attention to the first; it has authority, it won't budge - perhaps it is a threat.

>240 Crazymamie: Yeah, yeah....you beat me to it! What a hoot. Sorry, Joe...not meaning to laugh at your misery. I have mercifully been spared toothaches, never had any permanent ones pulled, no root canals and only a few very small cavities repaired over the years, so I cannot truly say I feel your pain. But I do sympathize, anyway. I gave birth once.

Oh, dang, Joe, I'm so sorry about the painful root canal! I had one of those once, too, and that night I was in so much pain that Tomm called the dentist and had her call in some *really* strong pain medication - I went from sobbing to out-for-the-count in seconds flat! Ha! I hope you have a pain-free day today, friend.

>243 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! You got me, Linda. Giving birth puts my grumpy little experience to shame. I'll shut up now. :-)

>244 scaifea: Ha! Thanks, Amber. We thought about calling in for stronger pain medication, and hearing your story, I kind of wish we had. Out-for-the-count in seconds flat would've been a blessing. Instead, I watched a couple of Bulls NBA championship games I had recorded. That at least distracted me.

Ooof, well, in my experience, that root canal pain is *way* worse than giving birth. Then again, I had a scheduled c-section that took all of 15 minutes and I didn't really feel any pain. So, um, yeah.

>245 jnwelch: I'll defer to the experts on this one, Amber.

Madame MBH had an epic 25 hour labor with our beloved daughter, and, while the result was great, I expect she'd quickly trade that pain for what I went through.

>247 jnwelch: Oh, gosh. Thankyounothankyou. One of the reasons I'm good with having just one child - there's no way a second delivery would go as smoothly, so I'm not risking it. Ha!

>248 scaifea: Understood. :-)

Our son Jesse was a much easier and smoother arrival, bless him.

OK, cafe patrons, the new cafe is open. See you there!

Good morning, Joe. Root Canal? Bummer. However, I've been there, done that. It wasn't terrible, but no fun either. I'm sorry to hear yours was so painful. I am glad to hear that The Bulls are giving you some solace.

>251 brodiew2: Good morning, Brodie. Thanks! I'm probably doing way too much complaining here about that darn tooth problem, but it was so annoying, and complaining to it gets no response.

Ah, those halcyon days of Bulls championships with Mr. Jordan and Mr. Pippen. They did indeed give me solace.

Last one: The game that gives me the most solace is the 1994 NCAA Championship in which the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Duke Blue Devils. Ah, the days of Thurman, Mayberry, and Williamson. :-)

>253 brodiew2: Nice. Were you an Arkansas grad, or was there some other reason that one won the solace cup?

I have an uncle in Arkansas and from an early age I liked the Razorback logo and idea of: "GO HOGS! SOOOEEYY!" It was and has been a beautiful thing.

>255 brodiew2: Ha! Man, that's one tough-looking hog, isn't it?

>245 jnwelch:, >247 jnwelch: I did not mean to minimize your suffering by comparison, Joe. In my experience, the pain you have RIGHT NOW is the worst you've ever had. As you have rightly pointed out, though, childbirth does come with a reward at the end.